President Lincoln's Lyceum Address

[ThePilgrim]

Although I am not a particular fan of President Lincoln (because of the unnecessary war between the states . . . . my feelings anyway), I believe the words from a speech he gave to apply as much today as they did in his day. The lawless mob that rules our nation today, from both Washington and Wall Street, is much more powerful than any our nation has ever faced in the past.

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The following six paragraphs are from Abraham Lincoln in his

Lyceum Address, January 27 1838

“At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide...

I know the American People are much attached to their Government;--I know they would suffer much for its sake;--I know they would endure evils long and patiently, before they would ever think of exchanging it for another. Yet, notwithstanding all this, if the laws be continually despised and disregarded, if their rights to be secure in their persons and property, are held by no better tenure than the caprice of a mob, the alienation of their affections from the Government is the natural consequence; and to that, sooner or later, it must come.

Here then, is one point at which danger may be expected.

The question recurs, "how shall we fortify against it?" The answer is simple. Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others. As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor;--let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character of his own, and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap--let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs;--let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars.

While ever a state of feeling, such as this, shall universally, or even, very generally prevail throughout the nation, vain will be every effort, and fruitless every attempt, to subvert our national freedom.

…Passion has helped us; but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defence.--Let those materials be moulded into general intelligence, sound morality, and in particular, a reverence for the constitution and laws.”

This is Larry again.
I would stress the last line from Lincoln's address: "a reverence for the constitution and laws.” Note that the reverence for the Constitution comes before the reverence for the laws for there can be no reverence for unconstitutional laws. It is the lack of reverence for the Constitution as well as the reverence for unconstitutional laws that is destroying our nation from within.

God bless,
Larry

[swathdiver]

It seems to me there are not enough people living in America today who are like our founding fathers. Even most of the Tea Party folks are simply looking for economic relief and live immoral lives, just like the rest of America and the world. There are not enough people willing to sacrifice all to throw off this government and start anew as is our right.

[John81]

Too bad Lincoln didn't abide by his own words, then we wouldn't have had his "civil war".

As for today, we can look around at the few who do honour the Constitution and speak for obeying the Constitution and for the most part they are ridiculed, mocked and worked against. Most often, it's the so-called conservatives who attack constitutionalists the hardest!

The sad fact is, most who call themselves conservatives today are not conservatives at all. They have no real understanding of the Constitution, it's original intent, or any desire to actually see this country governed in correctly by the Constitution.

It's a real shame that many so-called conservatives today sound more like FDR, or at best, JFK, than they do like anyone who actually respects the Constitution and desires to see America governed according to the Constitution.

[swathdiver]

Too bad Lincoln didn't abide by his own words, then we wouldn't have had his "civil war".

As for today, we can look around at the few who do honour the Constitution and speak for obeying the Constitution and for the most part they are ridiculed, mocked and worked against. Most often, it's the so-called conservatives who attack constitutionalists the hardest!

The sad fact is, most who call themselves conservatives today are not conservatives at all. They have no real understanding of the Constitution, it's original intent, or any desire to actually see this country governed in correctly by the Constitution.

It's a real shame that many so-called conservatives today sound more like FDR, or at best, JFK, than they do like anyone who actually respects the Constitution and desires to see America governed according to the Constitution.

No fan of Lincoln either. There was a time when I was like those those we deride today. Thankfully, the Holy Ghost is still teaching me what's right and what's not.

[John81]

No fan of Lincoln either. There was a time when I was like those those we deride today. Thankfully, the Holy Ghost is still teaching me what's right and what's not.

I know what you mean! Been there, thankful I was willing to learn the truth rather than stay a lost sheep...spiritually, politically and historically!